Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Sandy, UT
🏆 Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702 ✓ Larger
Sandy
Utah
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$108,165
Violent Crime Index
65
Population
95,635
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
30% less violent crime than Sandy
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $16,452 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 38°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Sandy
Sandy, UT
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (246.7 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $94k less ($492,300 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $309/mo less ($1,640 vs $1,949)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (2.2%)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $16,452/yr
Snowy winters — about 82" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$16,452
$124,617 vs $108,165/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
30% lower
172.8 vs 246.7 per 100k
Sandy
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Sandy
Median Home Value
$94k less
$492,300 vs $586,500
Sandy
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
2.2% vs 3.4% unemployment
Sandy
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 90.7°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Sandy, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $492,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,640⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $108,165 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 2.2% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 17.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 69 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 65 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 | 76 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 44.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 95.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Canyons District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 38.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 21.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" ✓ Less | 81.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 ✓ Larger | 95,635 |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 36.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 76.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 14.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Sandy's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Sandy is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 15 and Sandy wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Centennial to Sandy or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $492,300 median home), income ($124,617 vs $108,165), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Sandy, UT are about 375 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.